Swedish electric vehicle maker Polestar said its latest battery systems for the Polestar 2 and Polestar 3 now contain at least 50% recycled cobalt, marking a step forward in efforts to reduce reliance on newly mined raw materials.
The company said more than half of the cobalt used in these batteries is sourced from secondary materials, part of a broader strategy aimed at improving supply chain transparency and extending the lifecycle of critical resources. The move comes as automakers seek to address environmental and ethical concerns associated with cobalt mining.
Polestar said its circular economy approach also includes extending battery life during vehicle use and refurbishing components where possible. If a battery replacement is required, the company installs refurbished energy storage systems rather than newly manufactured units.
“Customers receive refurbished replacement batteries with an equivalent state-of-health,” Polestar said in a statement. The company added that it “is also establishing recycling partnerships across all its markets to meet producer responsibility requirements while extending battery lifecycles and maximising material recovery.”
The automaker said it works with battery centres operated by Volvo Cars to refurbish high-voltage batteries, supporting reuse and reducing waste across its operations.
While noting that its vehicles and batteries are still relatively new—limiting long-term performance data—Polestar highlighted its focus on lifecycle transparency. Since 2020, the company has published Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) for each model, reporting CO₂ equivalent emissions across the full value chain, and said it has reduced emissions per vehicle by 25% over that period.
“To drive a Polestar is an intentional choice by customers who care about tomorrow,” said Fredrika Klarén, Head of Sustainability at Polestar. “Electrification, powered by renewable energy and enabled by circular battery materials, points to a new kind of system: one where resources stay in use and abundance replaces depletion.”